To Keep Myself From Pain
by chloe fanel
Summary: Syaoran left for HongKong with a promise to keep in touch. A promise he broke and in the process, broke the heart of the card mistress. Now Sakura had grown into a beautiful woman. Men swarmed around her. She was vulnerable.
1. Pain

Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, manga or anime. I do not own its characters. I would not even claim owning them. Not that I don't like CCS, it actually the opposite, I like it a lot. And I mean really really like it. And I really do admire those creative geniuses behind it.  
  
About the Story: After the elementary graduation, Syaoran was ordered by the elders to return to China. At that same time, Sakura had began to realize how much she valued Syaoran in her life. At the airport, they had confessed their feelings. Both wept with such happiness for the realization that they loved each other, and by the fact that they were to be separated.  
  
TO KEEP MYSELF FROM PAIN  
By Chloe Fanel  
  
"Does it really matter?" Henry asked in annoyance, "I mean, I've told you time and again how I feel about you. Can't you just believe that?" The passerby's began to glance at their direction.  
  
"No, I can't just believe that!" Sakura answered, "You can't actually tell me that you still love me after I saw that scene you had with your secretary."  
  
"Well I'm sorry you had to witness that. that scene!" The man raged.  
  
"Sorry? You're sorry that I had to witness that scene?" She complained.  
  
"What do you want me to tell you anyway?" He screamed, "It happened. It was not my intention to kiss her. She was there and we had this attraction."  
  
The woman fumed in anger, her emerald eyes were dark with emotion, its color almost like the deep dark woods. Tears threatened to flow down but she kept her eyes on his. "Well," she stated weakly, "If that's how you feel."  
  
"Well, what?" he shouted, grinning with the thought that he'd win another argument, and to think that he was the one on the wrong side. "Come on, tell me."  
  
"It's over Henry!" she glared at him, "this relationship is over."  
  
The man stared at her in amazement, "you don't really mean that!"  
  
"I actually do."  
  
"You can't just dump me."  
  
"I just did Henry, now go away!"  
  
"Well, I won't I have a say to this relationship. You can't decide for the two of us."  
  
"The two of us? There is no "us", there has never been an "us". It was always you, Henry, you!" she threw the ring he gave her, "I don't need that, and I don't need you." She started to leave when he grabbed her arm.  
  
"Don't touch me!" She tried to jerk her arm but his hold was to strong. "Get your hands off me."  
  
"You can't tell me what to do." He angrily stated.  
  
"Hey!" A man's voice called out. When Henry turned to look at the man, he received a punch on the face. "How dare you treat my sister like this."  
  
"Oniichan!" Sakura cried out.  
  
Touya held her in his arms, "Sakura." he whispered, "Don't worry, everything will be okay." When he glanced at her arm, he saw the bluish mark and glared at the man, "You bastard, if I ever see you anywhere near my sister I'm going to kill you."  
  
Home: 24 hours after breaking the engagement  
  
Sakura cried on her bed, she hugged her legs and lay there in a fetal position. How could he do that to me?  
  
"Sakura?" Her worried brother knocked on the door.  
  
Sakura dried her tears and sat on the bed, she glanced at the mirror and saw what a mess she looked like. "Come in, oniichan." She combed her hair.  
  
"Sakura," he called again as he entered, "You haven't eaten anything yet so I brought you some ice cream."  
  
"Ice cream?" she asked.  
  
"Your pet Keroberos told me that it always soothes a broken heart. He said, he saw that on Oprah and that it works." He placed the ice cream on the table, "But you have to be careful or you'll get fat. He's really worried you know. But he got more worried about the ice cream when you wouldn't come downstairs for dinner and ate half of it."  
  
Sakura giggled, "You're trying to make me laugh."  
  
"It's working, isn't it?" He answered smiling.  
  
Sakura smiled at him and frowned again, "I loved him." She stated while tears flowed down.  
  
Touya frowned and hugged his sister, "I know," he stated. In his mind he began imagining how he'd kill that spawn of unmarried antecedents. However, he remembered all the other, still living creatures who dared hurt his beloved sister and an idea came to his mind.  
  
Syaoran Li. When he had first seen that guy, he was trying to hurt her. But when time passed, the brat too, like everyone else who knew Sakura began to soften. He even developed over protectiveness in everything where Sakura was concerned. But then, he had to leave.  
  
Touya frowned again and glanced at his sister who wept bitterly in his arms. She needs a keeper, he thought, and I can't think of anybody else as good as that Li guy.  
  
At the same time, the Sakura book began to glow. It flew open and the love card stood up.  
  
Sakura had recovered but was too engrossed with her feelings that she did not sense the card. She ate the ice cream her brother had brought for her. Touya stared at her with a conclusion, well, desperate times call for desperate measures. 


	2. Household

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CARD CAPTOR SAKURA.  
  
Konnichiwa Nory-chan!  
  
TO KEEP MYSELF FROM PAIN  
  
Chloe Fanel  
  
Sakura yawned as she walked out of her room. She had slept through breakfast and she was kinda thirsty. Even outside her room, Kero's snores could be heard. She sighed. 'At least I sleep before he does.'  
  
Sakura was about to go downstairs when she almost fell down because of a bottle that lay near. She frowned and took it up. She sighed, remembering the night before.  
  
~ ~ ~ flashback ~ ~ ~  
  
The night was really boring as the Kinomoto siblings sat in the kitchen. An idea came to Sakura's mind, "Hey Oniichan!" she started, "how about a game?"  
  
Touya inquired, "What kind of game?"  
  
An evil grin crossed on Keroberos face, "Computer games!"  
  
"NO!" Sakura stressed out stuffing bowl of ice cream in the guardian's mouth.  
  
The older Kinomoto laughed but the guardian looked really pleased that he didn't mind Touya.  
  
"I was planning about something more… informative!" The girl stated.  
  
"What is it?" Touya asked.  
  
"Truth or Dare!" Sakura beamed.  
  
"Wha-" Touya almost fell down the couch. "It's girlish."  
  
"Oh, come on…" Sakura teased, "It's only a game."  
  
"It's girlish!"  
  
"You can ask questions about anything!"  
  
"So can you, plus, it's girlish."  
  
"I'll treat you at Macky's!"  
  
"I work there!"  
  
"I'll clean the house for a week."  
  
"You already lost your bet about that a week ago."  
  
Sakura sweatdropped. Then, "Chicken!"  
  
"What the…"  
  
"Chicken!"  
  
"Okay! Okay!"  
  
Sakura beamed and laid a soda bottle on the table.  
  
"Hey!" Touya stated, "I'll turn that. You might cheat."  
  
Sakura was too happy she got her way that she didn't mind her brother at all. "Okay."  
  
Touya did so and the mouth of the bottle stopped in front of… Sakura! (yeah! I know what a coincidence. I bet you were expecting that. ^_^)  
  
"All right!" Touya exclaimed with an evil grin.  
  
"Hoe!" She frowned.  
  
Touya thought for a minute and grinned knowingly at his sister. "Okay, here's the question…" (drum roll)… "Do you still miss the brat?"  
  
A pink blush crept on Sakura's cheeks and remained silent. Her thoughts drifted to the memory of the young Li clan leader.  
  
They were at the airport. Syaoran held her stare for a moment after she told him her feelings. Sakura felt stupid, she thought that he would not give a damn about it. Then, he smiled and hugged her… whispering the same sweet words.  
  
Wei arrived and gave Syaoran a teddy bear. The boy nodded and held Sakura's hand, "I made this for you." He confessed.  
  
Sakura took this and smiled, "I'll name it after you."  
  
Touya smiled, "I'll take that as a Yes."  
  
~ ~ ~ end of flashback ~ ~ ~  
  
As she walked down the stairs, she heard murmurs from inside the kitchen. The sleepy girl sat down the stairs where she knew she would see who were there.  
  
Sakura smiled, seeing her Oniichan and Otousan. They looked quite engrossed in whatever they were talking about. From the looks of it, it sounded like they were planning something. Their voices were low enough for Sakura not to hear. But the young girl diligently listened and caught some words that immediately got her full attention. "Sakura… lonely… vacation… China…"  
  
The girl rubbed her eyes and crept nearer on tiptoes when "CRACK!" the rotten floor complained.  
  
The two men glanced at her direction. Touya was grinning at her while her father just gave her a worried look.  
  
"Um…" the girl in her pajamas started to blush, "I was thirsty." It was the truth… a couple of minutes ago, until she heard her name being mentioned. Then, she had forgotten all about her unquenched thirst.  
  
Touya laughed and stood up. His sister looked like a guilty criminal, so he stated, "You're not a very good liar kaiju."  
  
"I wasn't lying." She defended.  
  
Fujitaka stood up and took a glass from the rack, "What juice would you like?" he asked.  
  
"A… a… actually, water would be fine." She stuttered.  
  
"The thing is, kaiju." Touya interjected, "That there's something wrong with the water service. But before that happened. I've already made two jugs of juice."  
  
Sakura glared at her brother, "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me a monster?" Her brother simply ignored her and continued to talk.  
  
"On the blue one," he stated patting the jug, "is Dad's fave grape juice."  
  
"And the other one?" Sakura asked.  
  
"And on the white one, we have the orange juice."  
  
"You sound like some real estate person." Sakura stated smiling.  
  
"So," her father interjected, "which would be it?"  
  
"Hoe!" she exclaimed. "I think I'll have some grape juice."  
  
Fujitaka nodded and motioned her daughter to sit down. "My," he smiled, "my daughter has grown into a fine young woman."  
  
The girl blushed and sat down. The guys are really acting weird.  
  
"I wish she looked more ordinary." Her brother stated. "That way, the only ones who'd go near her are the one's who truly care."  
  
Sakura just stared at him.  
  
"Well," her father smiled at her. "I don't mind having an angel for a daughter. Sakura, you look more like your mother everyday."  
  
Sakura glanced at her father's sincere eyes and smiled back.  
  
The Kinomoto men continued observing their beloved Sakura. While she blushed, hating all the attention.  
  
Touya then, broke the silence, "You know," he started, "You're hair is too long." He took the wavy length of auburn hair in his hands. "Maybe we should cut them."  
  
"What???" Sakura and Fujitaka exclaimed.  
  
"The hair is very much like Nadeshiko's." her father asserted, "She looks lovely with those wavy locks."  
  
"I remember she looked rather cute when her hair was cut short. Like the one she wore in elementary." Touya continued.  
  
"Hold it there!" Tomoyo's voice floated from outside the house.  
  
The family sweatdropped as they stared at the window and saw Daidouji Tomoyo wearing camouflaged shirt and pants and holding her handy video camera.  
  
The woman speedily ran to the entrance and they heard the door opening.  
  
"She never gives up, doesn't she?" Fujitaka states regaining his composure.  
  
"I guess not." Sakura stated.  
  
Tomoyo entered and greeted everyone good morning still video taping her best friend. When Touya mentioned the hair again she sighed and listened as her hard headed brother argued to his two alter egos Tomoyo and Fujitaka.  
  
Suddenly the phone rang!  
  
+ _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ + _ +  
_ +_ + _ + _ +  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES:  
  
Oooooooohhhh……… who could it be?  
  
Flame, LeosaRose, LuvMasonM, and SweetCherryBlossom… Thanks for the review.  
  
I really appreciate it.  
  
Sige… marami pa me gagawin, eh! Eeek! KERO! ("( '_' ) asan na yung pagkain ko?  
  
REVIEW PLEASE!!! 


End file.
